Locking bar for loose-leaf binders



Feb. 11, 1930. E. J. BLOORE LOCKING BAR FOR LOOSE LEAF BINDERS Filed May 5. 1928 frn/sntor.

ErnesfJB/oore. fixyuwmm Patented Feb. 11, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ERNEST J. BLOOR-E, OF BRAMPTON, ONTARIO, CANADA, ASSIGNOR TO ROBERT J. corn- LAND, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA LOCKING BAR FDR LOOSE-LEAF BINDER-S Application filed May 3, 1828, Serial No. 274,856, and in Canada May 23, 1927.

The principal objects of this invention are to improve and simplify the construction of the metal binder backs for loose leaf books and which ensure the proper locking of the cover while dispensing with the necessity for absolute accuracy in the boring of the binding post holes.

A further object is to provide a binder metal which is adapted to be cut to various lengths to suit the varying dimensions of binders required by the trade, and also to reduce the cost of manufacturing.

The principal feature of the invention consists in the novel construction of a slidable locking member arranged within the upper binder back to engage the binder posts whereby a-pair of cooperating members are adapted to move in opposite directions to engage or release the binder posts.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective View of a binder to which this invention is applied.

' Figure 2 is an enlarged detail perspective view of the interior sliding locking member of the upper binder metal.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal mid-sectional view through a binder metal and locking device constructed according to this invention, showing the locking member free of the hindor posts.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal mid-sectional view similar to Figure 3 showing the locking member in locking engagement with the binding posts.

Figure 5 is an enlarged cross section on the line 5+5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is an enlarged cross section on the line 6-6 of Figure 4. 1

It has been common practice in the manufacture of loose leaf binders to make the back metals of a length of tubular metal and in the lower metal are secured the binder posts while the upper metal is provided with holes which fit over the binder posts and within the upper metal there is arranged a locking bar, which, prior to the present invention has been formed of a single metal bar having a pair of holes therethrough through which the binder posts extend. These holes are very accurately measured so that upon the movement of the locking bar longitudinally the bar will simultaneously engage both posts and lock the back from sliding on the posts.

It is always of course difficult to make the posts and the holes in the upper metal exactly the same distance apart and it is one of the important features of this invention to overcome this difficulty. v Itis also found that there is a considerable demand for odd widths of books and it is important that the manufacturer should be able to supply any demand from stock, rather than to have to make the entire structure to order. The present invention enables both these principal features being accomplished. In the illustration of the invention herein shown, the upper metal of the binder is made of a length of tubular metal 2 which is of an elliptical shape in cross section. It is closed at the ends by caps 3 and 4: which secure the cloth covering 5 thereon. The cap 3 is provided with a central opening 6 the'rethrough. Within the hollow member 2 is arranged a composite locking member which is formed of a thin sheet metal strip 7. This strip 7 is formed with a slot 8 arranged intermediate of its width at one end and secured at the end of the strip and spanning the slot is a slotted block 9. The ends of the block are slotted to receive the strip 7 and the strip and block are shown secured by rivets 10.

Acentral transverse threaded orifice 11 is formed in the block 9 arrangedcentrally of the width of the slot 8 and a screw 12 is threaded therein, which has a squared outer end 13 to receive a key. The inner end of the screw 12 is provided with a flanged head 14 which extends into the slot 8. i

A sheet metal strip 15 which is doubled longitudinally to form a head 16 which slidably engages the rounded inner side of one side of the metal tube 2 and the two flat portions 17 snugly engage the strip 7 while the edge extremities 18 are turned outwardly to engage the inner wall of the opposite rounded edge of the tube 2.

The outer surface of the bead 1,6 and the extremities of the edges 18 form longitudinal gulde points to hold the device centrally within the tubular metal back.

One end of the double metal sheet 15 adjacent to the block 9 is formed with a slot 7 and the flanged head 14 of the screw 12 fits in said slot so that as the screw is operated in the block it will move the member 15 slidably upon the strip 7.

The member 15 is provided with a hole 19 through which the binder post 20 is adapted to extend loosely and in passing through said hole the post extends through the longitudinal slot 8 in the strip 7.

A sheet metal member 21 of precisely similar construction to the member 15 but which is notprovided with a slot in the end is rigidly secured by spot welds or rivets 22 to the strip 7 at the end opposite to the block 9.

A hole 23 is bored through the member 21 and the strip 7 a suitable distance from the hole 19 so that the binder post will pass therethrough.

The strip 7 is provided with a slot 2% centrally of its length and between the members 21 and 15 and a rivet 25 extends freely through this slot and is secured in the wall of the tubular member 2. This rivet extending through the slot 24 limits the movement of the strip 7 but allows said strip to move in either direction within that limit.

In the use of this invention, when the screw 12 is operated in the block 8 which is secured to the member 7, it slides the member 15 on the member 7 but if the member 7 is obstructed by the binder post extending through the hole therein and through the slot in the strip 7, then the turning of the bolt will cause the strip 7 to slide. The result of this arrange-- ment is that these members slide one upon the other and are free to move within the binder back, consequently when the binder posts extend through the locking member and the lock bolt is turned, either one member or the other moves longitudinally until it engages one of the posts, then the other member moves until it engages the other post and both mam bers may be looked as securely as may be desired by this screw adjustment.

It will be seen that with such a construction it will be impossible for the locking bar to bind on one post only in the manner that such binding occurs where a single lock bar is used.

It will be seen that the construction is very simple and that very light gauge metal may be used both in the centre strip 7 and in the members 15 and 21 because the strain will be centrally and evenly divided in the locking of the back and there is no tendency to bend or bind. Further, it will be understood that this form of lock allows of the cutting of the binder back tube for any desirable width within the limitations of the length of the member 21, as the binder post hole may be bored through the member 21 and the member 7 at any point that may be desired and the end length may be cut off.

It will be readily understood that because of the dual movement of the two sliding members great accuracy in the cutting of the holes for the binder post in the lock member and in the back will not be required, as the locking members automatically adjust themselves to bind first on one post and then on the other, irrespective of the distance they are apart.-

This locking'device is herein shown applied to a certain definite construction of tubular binder back but it must be understood that it may be applied to any type of tubular binder back that requires a locking member to engage two or more posts.

What I claim as my invention is 1. A locking mechanism for loose leaf binders, comprising the combination with a tubular metal and binder posts extending through said tubular metal, of a metal strip slidable in the binder back and having a hole to receive one of the binder posts, and a slot through which the other binder post extends, a channel member slidably mounted on said sliding metal strip and having spaced flanges snugly engaging the opposite sides of said metal strip, said flanges having a hole therethrough in alignment with said slot through which said other binder post extends, and means for relatively moving said slidable members.

2. A locking mechanism for loose leaf binders, comprising the combination with a tubular metal and binder posts extending through said tubular metal, of a metal strip slidable in the binder back and having a hole to receive one of the binder posts and a slot through which the other binder post extends, a U-shaped member slidably mounted on and straddling the slotted section of said sliding metal strip with the flange portions thereof snugly engaging said metal strip on either side, the flange portions of said U-shaped member having axially aligned holes therethrough in alignment with said slot through which said other binder post extends, and a threaded member threaded in one of said sliding members and operatively engaging the other to slide it in relation thereto.

3. A locking mechanism for loose leaf binders, comprising the combination with a tubular metal and binder posts extending through said tubular metal, of a metal strip slidable in the binder back and having a hole adjacent to one end to receive one of the binder posts and a centrally arranged slot extending inwardly from the other end extremity through which the other binder post extends, a member slidably mounted on said sliding .metal strip having a hole therethrough in alignment with said slot to receive the latter binder post, a block secured to and connecting the slotted end portions of said metal strip and having a threaded orifice the axis of which is disposed on a level with the plane of said strip in alignment with said slot, and a threaded bolt threaded into said threaded orifice and having a flanged head at the inner end, and a slot in the outer end of the other member engaging said flanged head to move said members in opposite directions.

4. A locking mechanism for loose leaf binders, comprising the combination with a tubular metal and binder posts extending through said tubular metal, of a metal strip slidable in the binder back and having a hole adja- 7 cent to one end to receive one of the binder each end thereof to receive the projecting end portions of said slidable metal strip formed by the central slotting of same, rivets passing through the slotted portions of said block and through said projecting end portions of the strip to secure said block in place, a

threaded orifice in said block spaced centrally between the end slots thereof and in alignment therewith, a bolt threaded in said orifice and having its inner end extending into the slot of said slidable metal strip, said bolt having a fiangedinner end and operatively engaging said slidable member to slide the same on said strip.

5. In a locking mechanism for loose leaf binders, the combination with a tubular binder back and binder posts extending therethrough, of a sheet metal strip having a longitudinal slot at one end, a metal block closing the end of said slot and rigidly secured to the strip and having a threadedhole there through in axial alignment with the longitudinal centre line of said slot, a bolt threaded in said hole having a flanged head disposed in said slot, a U-shaped sheet-metal strip having the flange portions thereof slidably embracing the aforesaid strip, said flange portions having opposed slots formed therein adjacent the outer end, said bolt extending between the flange portions of said U-shaped strip and having its flanged head entering said opposed slots, axially aligned holes extending through the flange portions of said slidable U-strip to receive one of the binder posts, and a hole through the unslotted end of the slotted strip adapted to receive the other binder post.

6. A locking mechanism for loose leaf binders, comprising the combination with a tubular metal and binder posts extending through said tubular metal, of a sheet metal strip having a longitudinal slot at one end, a doubled strip of sheet-metal embracing the slotted end of said strip and slidable thereon, said doubled strip being beaded longitudinally at one side and having the longitudinal edges of the other side flared laterally to slidably engage the inner wall of the tubular metal in guiding contact, a similar doubled strip rigidly secured to the other end of the slotted strip, and pressure means carried by said sheet-metal strip for sliding said firstmentioned doubled strip relative thereto.

7. In a locking mechanism for loose leaf binders, the combination with a tubular back metal and binding posts extending therethrough, of a thin strip of sheet-metal arranged within said tube having a slot leading inwardly from one end thereof, a U-shaped guide strip engaging the inner wall of the tubular back in guiding contact, said U-shaped guide strip having its spaced flanges rigidly secured to and embracing the opposite sides of the unslotted end of said sheet-metal strip and having a hole therethrough through which one of the binder posts extends, a U-shaped guide strip slidably mounted on the other end of said thin metal strip with its flanges snugly engaging the opposite sides of the slotted portion of the latter and having a hole therethrough through which the other binder post extends, and threaded means mounted on the slotted end of said thin metal strip and extending into the end slot of the latter and arranged between and operatively engaging the spaced flanges of said slidably mounted guide strip to move said sheet-metal strip and slidable guide strip in opposite directions.

ERNEST J. BLOORE. 

